For years, fans of the ultimate post-apocalyptic franchise,Fallout, have been patiently waiting for the next installment in the series. It seems likeFallout 4was a lifetime ago, launching way back in 2015, and 2018’sFallout 76was the lowest-rated release in the history of the franchise. In June 2022, a glimmer of hope appeared on the horizon, with Bethesda’s Todd Howard confirming that there is a plan to createFallout 5following the launch of bothStarfield(2023) andElder Scrolls VI(TBC).
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It was a stunning piece of news for the fans who remain hungry for anotherFallouttitle, but there’s still a long road ahead at this moment. Unfortunately, Todd Howard suggested that all that existed ofFallout 5was a “one-pager” document containing the roughest outline possible. As the game hasn’t even begun to be sketched out, the development team have a completely blank slate before them. At this point,Fallout 5could be absolutely anything.
8Bring Back Karma
As an iconic, core mechanic in the olderFallouttitles such asFallout 3andNew Vegas, the karma system should return inFallout 5. It would be one of the biggest improvements that the franchise could receive, re-introducingthe concept of choice and consequence actually meaning something.
InFallout 4, the karma system was stripped away, and while some have an impact on the story,many of the player’s choices feel watered down and without meaning. WhenFallout 5is finally released, players need that immersive ability to truly shape their character into either a paragon of the wasteland or an evil scourge of the apocalypse.
7Silence The Protagonist, Or Make Them ‘Better’
When theFalloutprotagonist was unvoiced, players saw remarkably open-ended conversations simply littered with dialogue choices. InFallout 4, however, every conversation was dumbed down and players' response options were crammed into one of four choices. This ‘streamlining’ was the result of having a voiced protagonist for the first time in the series, and it took away a little something from the grandeur ofFallout.
As the series beings to move into the realms ofFallout 5, it either needs to see the return ofthe silent protagonistor simply provide players with more conversation options.Falloutis one of the oldest and most iconic RPG franchises out there, spanning more than twenty years of gaming history. It should be the king of immersion, not a weak, watered-down experience.
6Feel Like An Apocalypse
War, war never changes - but it doesn’t become more entertaining, according to Bethesda Game Studios. WhileFallout 3felt chilling and raw,Fallout 4felt more like a more brightly-colored gallop through a wild wasteland studded with comedic one-liners and jaunty characters. It was a fantastic game,but it felt less desperateand, overall, way less threatening.
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If BGS approaches the development ofFallout 5with one key driver in mind, it should be the goal of making the game feel more like an apocalypse. To that end, players need more survival aspects, a more hardcore experience, and the lingering apprehension caused by the potential to find a threat around every corner.
5Blow Open The Backstory
If there’sone part of the timelinethatFalloutfans would love to explore, it’s close to the Great War itself. In 2077, the bombs fell in theFalloutuniverse, but the closest that players have ever gotten to that event is inFallout 76, which is set in 2102. It would be a remarkable thing to explore the very origins of theFalloutwasteland weeks, or even days after the bombs have fallen and civilization has ceased to exist.
If Bethesda Game Studios designedFallout 5as the earliest game in the franchise, it would change the formula entirely. While it would strip away many of the features and functions that makeFalloutthe game that it is, it would truly stand firm as the ultimate post-apocalyptic survival RPG title. It would be one of the biggest improvements to theFalloutfranchise as it would rip fans away from what they’re already expecting.
4Let Us Live Anywhere
If there’s one thing thatFallout 76did well, it was opening up the ability to build almost anywhere. WhenFallout 4was introduced, the settlement construction mechanic was welcomed with open arms, even if some players found it to be somewhat arbitrary to the main game. It was a franchise first of sorts, and it gave players the freedom to make their mark in the world that they were attempting to immerse themselves in.
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However,Fallout 4’sbuild mode was restricted to specific locations, outside of mods. InFallout 76,players gained the ability to put down a C.A.M.P. wherever they desired, so long as it wasn’t within the boundaries of an established location. IfFallout 5could improve in one key way, it would be this: allow players to build extensively, wherever they want, and however they see fit. Thislooks to be the case in Starfield, so it should certainly be a mechanic inFallout 5.
3Make Stealth Viable
Fallouthas always seemed like a franchise that should accommodate perfect stealth mechanics, but it never really has. There are features, such as the Stealth Boy that directly suggest stealth should be a viable approach to any situation in the game, but aside from some rough-around-the-edge mechanics, stealth doesn’t truly exist in theFalloutuniverse.
While there are suppressed weapons and perks that boost stealth stats, players who desire a sneakier mode of play are often left wanting. InFallout 5, it would be superb if stealth was made truly viable, introducing silent or non-lethal takedowns, taking advantage oflight and sound manipulation, and having the mass and literal build of a player make an impact on movement.
2Roaming The Wasteland
AsFalloutevolves, the open-world environments tend to become larger and more ambitious. InFallout 76(2018), players were treated to the largest map in the history of the franchise, but their mode of transport remained fixated solely on their own two feet. InFallout 5, Bethesda should take a note fromFallout 2’sbook and introduce vehicles of some kind.
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InFallout 2, players gained access to the Highwayman: a fully functional car. IfFallout 5’smap is set to beas open and as expansiveas some expect, it would be fantastic to see some kind of vehicle introduced. It isn’t an unrealistic expectation, and in terms of the game itself, BGS could write an entire storyline around the creation or discovery and subsequent maintenance of the vehicle.
1Co-Operative, Not Multiplayer
WhenFallout 76was announced, fans were expectingFallout 4with friends, but that isn’t what they ended up receiving. IfFallout 5is going to introduce some kind of multiplayer feature, it should be strictly contained to a cooperative experience. For many players, the ability to play with one or two friends at a timein their own respective game worldswould be much better than a full-blown MMO platform.
Following the relative failure ofFallout 76, there’s no way that Bethesda Game Studios will push for another multiplayer title set in theFalloutuniverse. In any case, the developer reportedly has a multi-year roadmap in place for the live service game. InFallout 5, BGS should give players the opportunity to enjoy the wasteland with friends, without making it a mandatory requirement.
Fallout 5has been confirmed by Bethesda Game Studios but is not yet in active development.
